Falcons DT Peria Jerry to retire

Posted by PlexusGroupe on July 31, 2014, 3:21 PM EDT

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Falcons defensive tackle Peria Jerry, the club’s first-round pick in 2009, will retire, the team announced Thursday.

The 29-year-old Jerry recorded 67 tackles and 5.5 sacks in five seasons with Atlanta. The club re-signed him in March. Overall, Jerry played in 64 games, making 29 starts. He missed 14 games of his rookie season after suffering a knee injury that required surgery.

The Falcons invested heavily in their defensive line in the offseason, signing nose tackle Paul Soliai and defensive end Tyson Jackson and drafting defensive end Ra’Shede Hageman in Round Two. The club has transitioned to a 3-4 scheme after employing a base 4-3 defense in previous years.

17 responses to “Falcons DT Peria Jerry to retire”

Dont really know much about him, but 5.5 sacks in 5 seasons and as a DT, considering that he was a first round Pick.. 6th/7th rounder fine. If he saved well since he came pre-rookie scale he will be alright.

Falcon fans will never forget that they the Packers took Matthews right after the Falcons picked Jerry…..who was a logical pick and could have been ok if he didn’t get injured almost immediately. Questionable part was that Jerry had some injury issues going back to college, but Falcons apparently thought he was worth the risk.

I guess that makes Peria Jerry a draft BUST! Falcons better not be expecting too much from Soliai. His form regressed the past 2 years in Miami. He’s physically huge but not much gas left in that tank. Dolphins made a deliberate tactical decision to get Starks back and let big Paulie walk.

This is why Dimitroff is probably rightfully on the hot seat. Matt Ryan’s pick was dictated by Arthur Blanks as I recall because they were in love with Glenn Dorsey, and the only other true impact player that he and his staff have drafted wasJulio Jones who he gave up his whole draft and part of the next to get. Otherwise they’ve had a lot of misses.

Peria Jerry should retire for several weeks, stay in football shape, wait for a 4-3 defense to experience an injury at DT, & UN-retire because he will already be missing that NFL paycheck. Only 29 years old for a DT he’s still in his (relative) prime.